Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, §§ 23–208 through 23–210 of this subtitle apply only to: an employee of a day school in the State under the authority and supervision of a county board of education or the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners, employed as: a clerk; a helping teacher; a principal; a superintendent; a supervisor; or a teacher; a faculty employee of an educational institution supported by and under the control of the State; a librarian or clerical employee of a library that is established or operates under the Education Article; a professional or clerical employee of a community college that is established or operates under the Education Article; a staff employee of the University System of Maryland, Morgan State University, or St. Mary’s College who is a member of the Teachers’ Pension System as of January 1, 1998, or who transfers from the Teachers’ Retirement System on or after January 1, 1998; or a nonfaculty employee of the Baltimore City Community College who: is a member of the Teachers’ Pension System as of October 1, 2002, and does not transfer to the Employees’ Pension System in accordance with § 23–202.1 of this subtitle; or transfers from the Teachers’ Retirement System on or after October 1, 2002. Sections 23–208 and 23–209 of this subtitle do not apply to: an individual who has elected to participate in an optional retirement program under Title 30 of this article; an individual who is employed under a federal public service employment program; a professional or clerical employee of the Department of Public Libraries of Montgomery County who is participating in the Employees’ Retirement System of Montgomery County; a staff employee of the University System of Maryland, Morgan State University, or St. Mary’s College who becomes employed on or after January 1, 1998, in a position as a staff employee of the educational institution that was eligible for membership in the Teachers’ Retirement System or Teachers’ Pension System under Chapter 6, § 8, paragraphs 1(a) and 2(a) of the Acts of 1994; an employee who is not a member of a State system and who accepts a position for which the budgeted hours per fiscal year are less than 500 hours in the first fiscal year of employment; or a nonfaculty employee of the Baltimore City Community College who becomes employed on or after October 1, 2002, or who transfers to the Employees’ Pension System in accordance with § 23–202.1 of this subtitle.